Bethlehem Lutheran Church Records

The Bethlehem Lutheran Church was established in 1927 by Reverend H. Schliesser, Reverend Scholz of Port Arthur, and Reverend M. C. G. Heinrich. Initially, there were only fifteen members of the congregation that met in whatever space could be rented as a place of worship.The development of the church was deeply impacted by the Great Depression. Eventually, an official church building was constructed in 1938. Over time, the congregation grew to become a mid-size church with a highly active ministry in a variety of areas. There were several groups within the congregation that had an impact on the church and community. Examples include : the Luther League, the WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), and the Ladies Aid and Missionary Society. The church even hosted a Boy Scouts chapter for a time. The church was eventually closed in 2015 after 90 years, and the remaining funds were distributed to charity. The building was adopted by a pentecostal congregation shortly after.